Mr Fu, I Really Love You

“Focus on your work, and do what you like to do. Everything else… leave it to Fang Yan.” Fu Huai’an’s rich and thick voice had the capacity to comfort people.

After ending the call, even Lin Nuan’s fingertips felt warm. Everything was progressing smoothly under Fang Yan’s arrangements.

Lin Nuan’s mind was filled with Fu Huai’an’s charming voice; it was only after a long time that she managed to calm down, lower her head, and read through the original novel that she had gone through countless times.

The makeup artist came in a little later, but Lin Nuan said nothing, only sitting there and quietly reading her book while the makeup artist fixed her hair for her.

When the makeup artist entered the room, she didn’t close the door properly, so the sounds of staff members talking outside passed through the cracks of the door.

Two staff members were carrying cups of water, sitting on the props case, holding their elbows with one hand as they chatted with their backs facing the door.

“The author of ‘The Exorcist’ is too arrogant! Who is Fang Yan? She’s Ms. Fang! She brought several heavenly kings and queens to their fame! How could she reject her just like that?”

“It is not Ms. Fang that the author is rejecting. She’s made it very clear… she’s rejecting the third-party!”

“Third-party? Are you referring to Lin Nuan?”

“Who else! You’re not aware because you came late today. The author was here early and got into a quarrel with the director. She said her favorite character was the past reincarnation of Feng Wuluan. She used to think Lin Nuan was similar to Feng Wuluan in terms of her devotion, only consenting because Su Manman had recommended her for the role. But she hadn’t expected Lin Nuan was a third party! Furthermore, she’s a third-party with zero performing experience and will ruin her Feng Wuluan!”

“Third-party? How did she become a third-party?”

“Did you not see the post on Weibo? Everyone is talking about how Lin Nuan is a third party who is trying to seduce the father of those two kids while their mother isn’t around!”

Lin Nuan overheard this conversation, and before she could react, she only felt her scalp ache…

“My apologies!” The makeup artist who was combing Lin Nuan’s hair spoke with indifference, her tone courteous yet aloof.

Lin Nuan looked in the mirror; although the makeup artist didn’t blatantly reveal her disgust at Lin Nuan, she didn’t appear that fond of her either.

From the moment Lin Nuan had entered the set this morning, she had noticed a change in the atmosphere; this was likely due to that Weibo post.

After her makeup was done, Lin Nuan stashed her copy of the original novel into her bag and walked towards the set in her heavy costume.

Shortly after entering the set, Lin Nuan heard the author’s increasingly high-pitched voice. “She can’t possibly do a good job of acting the role of Feng Wuluan’s past reincarnation! You can continue shooting if you refuse to believe me! I will post a clarification on Weibo, saying that I don’t agree with the choice to cast the totally inexperienced talk show host in the role of Feng Wuluan’s previous reincarnation. I have nothing to do with the Feng Wuluan acted by Lin Nuan! Don’t blame it on me if this movie tanks at the box office! Don’t say I sabotaged you by posting on Weibo!”

After she was done ranting, the author left angrily.

When she got to the door, the author saw Lin Nuan in her costume, and she gritted her teeth and left.

Lin Nuan had read the original novel many times and knew that the previous reincarnation of Feng Wuluan had an important role throughout the novel; it could even be said that she was crucial in how many events unfolded, so one could easily see the author’s bias towards this character. Even if this character didn’t appear again, she lived in every nook and cranny of this book.

Lin Nuan’s hands by her sides clenched slightly. It was Su Manman who had asked her to help this time; she couldn’t implicate Su Manman.

After the author left in a fit, almost everyone’s eyes were on Lin Nuan. They were talking among themselves in hushed whispers, finger-pointing at Lin Nuan with their gazes.

It was that kind of situation—where everyone was talking about you in your presence and still had to deliberately lower their voices so as not to be heard by you, yet were still looking at you in an obvious manner—that made it clear they were talking about you. This made Lin Nuan feel really depressed.

Fang Yan was appeasing the director after the fiery conversation with the author just a moment ago. Seeing that Lin Nuan was already here with her makeup and costume done, she began walking in Lin Nuan’s direction.

Fang Yan’s expression was dark as she spoke solemnly to Lin Nuan, “You’ve seen the situation, Lin Nuan… you have got to play the role well, you have no other choice!”

Lin Nuan felt pressured, her fingers slightly trembling.

She nodded her head hard.

The director was slightly appeased now. As he raised his teacup to take a sip of tea, the vice-director frantically walked over with his phone raised, letting the director see what the author had just posted on Weibo. The author smashed the teacup the minute he saw it. “F*ck! That dumb woman! What godd*mn good does it do her to post this?”

Lin Nuan looked up in the director’s direction, her heart on tenterhooks.

Fang Yan immediately knew what happened the minute she heard the director say that. She turned around and took a glance at the enraged director, then pulled Lin Nuan’s wrist and took her to a corner to avoid others. She said, “The author saw your takes from the last shoot. After the news exploded this morning, the author is strongly against you acting as the previous reincarnation and is forcing the director to replace you with someone else! The director did consider this option for a moment, so… you have to give this your all! Be sure to put on a good performance!”

Just then, they heard someone call the director.

Lin Nuan turned around to see the director walking towards her.

Upon seeing the director’s dark face, Lin Nuan’s heart beat rapidly, and a layer of sweat formed on her palms.

Fang Yan didn’t look so good either, but she was more steady than Lin Nuan. The corners of her lips turned up. “Director Chen…”

Lin Nuan’s nervous breathing became more rapid. She adjusted her breathing and looked at the director.

The director was standing before Lin Nuan, his deep and slightly red eyes gazing at her as he put a hand on her shoulder.

Lin Nuan bit her cheek and faked a calm expression. She was already prepared for the worst; if the director decided to replace her with someone else, she would have no complaints about it.

However, Lin Nuan had put effort into this role and had developed feelings for this character, so she couldn’t quite bear to part with the role.

Lin Nuan held her breath, her clear and clean eyes looking at the director, her right hand gripping the sheer outer layer of her costume silently…

“Lin Nuan, the two of us are now ants on the same rope. I insisted on using you, so I can only stick by my decision to the end! You must make a good showing!” The director’s expression was solemn.

Stick by his decision to the end?

Fang Yan was a little surprised. She took out her phone and looked at the author, Shu Xin’s Weibo, and only then understood why the stubborn Director Chen had made up his mind to do this…

[@Shu Xin: I, the author of “The Exorcist”, hereby make an official declaration. I have communicated with the director about Lin Nuan’s inability to act well in the role of Feng Wuluan’s previous reincarnation! However, the director insisted on using Lin Nuan. After several unfruitful discussions, I can only apologize to the fans of this novel for the inability to present to you the true Feng Wuluan. The Feng Wuluan acted by Lin Nuan has nothing to do with my work! I didn’t sell exclusive film rights to “The Exorcist” and hope to be able to collaborate with a director who can portray the true essence of “The Exorcist”.]